Falling stars
by Allygen
Summary: Set after the journey to Neverland, actually during the welcome back party. Regina is not the party kind of girl and Emma reaches her to share a little chat and, maybe, something more. SwanQueen


Here a silly fluffy thing. I wrote it in these days because...because I needed it and I really wanted to smile. :)

If you need some good SwanQueen feelings too, you're welcome here! Hope you enjoy xo

Disclaimers: I don't own the characters, sadly.  
Sorry if there are grammar errors, english is not my first language!

* * *

"Not too much the party type of girl, are you?"  
Regina's head snapped up as she looked for the owner of the irritant well known voice and found the blonde sheriff, with her irritant sparkling malicious eyes and her still irritant smirk.

"It's very confusing over there. But I enjoyed the food, after all. I just...don't love all the bonding time and casual conversations that are pretty far from being so casual." The former queen confessed, frowning. "What are you doing here, Miss Swan?"

Emma took some steps, approaching the other woman slowly, hands in pockets. "Actually, I thought we had passed that point by now. I thought you knew my name's Emma."

"Of course." Regina sighed, putting her hands on her hips, for some incomprehensible reason suddenly a little nervous. "How could I forget it? I only like to bother you, and it is definitely easier when I call you Miss Swan, dear."

"Evidently. But I suppose it's a good thing, then..." Their eyes met and for a moment Regina lost herself in that water blue she so much liked despite her willing.

"Is it?"

"Yes. As long as you feel the need to bother me. At least it means I mean something to you."

There was a long awkward silence. Regina turned to look at their son, in the distance. Henry was happily chatting with his grandfather (the good one) and swallowing a big portion of junk food - something she had authorized for once. "You always meant something to me, since you gave _him_ to me." Her voice was a whisper, so that maybe Emma didn't even hear anything. Or, if also she did, then she opted for pretending she didn't have heard at all.

"He seems to be fine, doesn't he? Looks happy. At least one of us is having fun at the welcome back party." The blonde said instead, staring at the kid with the same unconditional love and pride Regina showed, painted on her face.

"Yes, he looks finally happy. I still can't believe he's safe and we're at home, all of us."

Emma gave a small smile, reducing the distance between them. Casually, she caressed the back of the other's hand. "We are. I didn't think you cared so much about _all_ of us, though. Is the evil queen really not so evil anymore?" Regina raised an eyebrow, slapping the sheriff (who groaned) on her nape.

"I've never been so evil, it was your mother who..."

"Added "evil" to your title, yup, I know. I also remember you punching me in the face, though. That was pretty evil, wasn't it?" The "princess" provoked again, biting her lower lip. She couldn't resist, she loved far too much to mess with the woman she had eventually known better during their trip in Neverland. They had shared so much, over there, than in a way everything seemed different even in Storybrooke, now.

"Evil? It was deserved! And you were supposed to learn your lesson, plan which clearly didn't work. Maybe I could try again, what do you think...?"

Before Regina could move a single finger, Emma giggled and raised her hands. "Wait, wait Your Majesty. I feel like my mom could freak out if I go back home with a bloodstain on her shirt. I took it from her guardrobe and looks like it's a shirt she wore when she and my father created a very good memory." Emma herself frowned at that vision, but Regina's reaction was sudden and priceless.

"Eww! Get out of me Miss Swan! You could be contagious." Her mouth was tightened in a bitter grimace.

"Can you imagine? Infected with true love! What a terrible pedestrian illness..." Emma played, trying to capture the brunette in her arms and embrace her while she pushed her away, pretending to be disgusted.

"Don't you dare touch me with that. Am I clear? If you do it, there will be consequences."

Emma laughed until she found herself bent on her knees. She took a deep breath, calmly, and wiped her tears. "Do you prefer me to take off the shirt?"

"What?" Regina's eyes widened as she turned to stare at the woman, blushing in the moonlight, but the Swan quickly retracted and muttered something incredibly similar to "_Never mind_." She suddenly loosened her boots and lay down on the grass, causing the older one to confusedly glare at her.

"What on the earth are you going to do, Miss Swan?"

Emma smirked. She knew by now that Regina tended to call her that whenever she felt unsure or bothered by something she did or when she didn't get what she was doing and why. "Come here Regina and find it out yourself. Have some fun."

The queen chewed the urge to raise her eyes and crossed the arms on her chest. "I'm sorry, this doesn't look fun and I'm not going to lie down in the grass as if I was..." Her voice turned off as she swallowed.

"As if you were?" Emma pressed, narrowing her eyes. "What?"

"A peasant."

And then Emma burst in laughs again. "Come on, Regina! You even slept in the mud when we were in Neverland! Is it Storybrooke that makes you such a snooty bitch?"

The former queen gritted her teeth, seeming pretty hurt. "Shut up, Miss Swan. Of course I could do everything if it was necessary for Henry's safety. However we're not in Neverland anymore and I don't..."

But Emma cut her off, reaching out a hand towards her. "Regina, trust me. No one is going to catch you and treat you like shit only because you act like a human being. No one is going to judge or hurt you anymore. I promise. Just come here."

Regina's eyes filled with tears as she looked away and took a deep sigh. Emma didn't press more, not until she saw Regina was ready. At that point she only smiled and moved her fingers, inviting her to grab her hand. She kindly helped the former enemy to sit at her side and cleared her throat pointing at her heels. "Don't push your luck, Emma. Isn't this enough?" The queen hissed narrowing her eyes.

The blonde rolled her eyes but didn't push. She gently tapped the spot beside to her face and looked with childish puppy eyes, which - she had learned during the last period - usually worked out good. In the background, music started to play announcing that the dances were open. Something she, again, didn't miss at all. And yet she focused on the brunette that, slowly and a little step at one time, seemed to were convincing herself that it was appropriate to do what Emma had asked to her.  
Eventually there she was, pretty uncomfortable but still lying down next to the savior, on the grass and in the night. "What if a cricket jumps out and decides to attack us?"

"We'll call Archie." Emma smiled, looking at the woman who obstinately was staring at the starry mantle.

"Maybe a toad. There has to be a pond, somewhere nearby."

"Then I'll kiss him and turn him into a prince." Emma stated simply, stifling the desire to touch Regina's perfect cheek with the tip of a finger.

"I don't think so." Regina's tone became firm.

"And why's that?"

"You're definitively not kissing a toad anytime soon and anywhere in my presence, dear."

Emma's jaw dropped. "Are you jealous?"

"Excuse me!?"

"You are! You're jealous!" Emma pointed at her with her index.

"I'm not jealous of a viscid horrible creature, you idiot, but toads are venomous and I most certainly don't want to be blamed for your premature death!"

Emma grinned. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. We both know the truth!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, trust me." Regina retorted quickly, before suddenly changing the matter. "What are we actually doing here, anyway? Because I feel like the back of my skirt is already damp and we could both catch a cold because of your irresponsibility and inappropriate sense of fun."

Emma sighed loudly, but she fought to contain her smile. She could feel Regina was being a bitch mostly because she was incredibly nervous. Which, for some reason, made her feel weirdly good.

"We're looking at the stars. You know, this is the best time to catch falling stars."

"Falling stars?"

"Yes, you know...those stars that create a light strip in the sky..."

"I get it. And why are we looking for those _falling stars_?"

"Don't you know?" Emma's mouth swung open. "The whole stuff of the wishes!" She bit her lip, thinking at how weird this could sound. "In this world people usually think that falling stars can realize a desire. So, if you catch one of them, you can ask it something."

Regina seemed to process the explanation in her mind, calmly, before responding. "Sounds like a variation of our fairies work. It's pretty a bullshit."

"That's what I used to think when I was young. But still I also thought you all were bullshit, and I came out to be the daughter of Snow White."

"Thank you, dear."

"Sorry, but true." Emma bit her lip again, placing behind her hear a lock of golden hair. "Maybe it's not so much a bullshit, after all. Maybe this world has its own magic if you only believe."

"You know, listening to you right now no one would say you've been so near to give up on everything and let my curse run." Regina stated, bending her face to meet the other's eyes.

"Your own prison, you mean..." Emma frowned and gave her a pointedly look. "Sorry, not sorry for that."

"Well, magic always comes with a price, anyway. I don't know if I would express a desire."

"Don't do it then. We can simply gaze and play a game. The one who catches more falling stars will have unlimited power on the other one for a week. How does it sound?"

"Very good. I'm in."

"Fine then, let's start!" Emma smirked and Regina immediately began her careful inspection of the sky. Neither of the two really wanted to lose the occasion of having such an incontestable power on the other one.

They laughed and played for a while, bickering and teasing each other.

"THERE! I saw it! Five, five falling stars for me! I WON!" Emma yelled at some point, shaking her fist in the air.

"You've got to be kidding me! It didn't even exist, you invented it!"

"Wait, I swear on God I didn't!"

"Prove it!"

"How could I be supposed to prove it!? Come on, you know I saw it!"

"You little cheater. I hate you." Regina pouted, sitting up and turning to look at her.

Emma giggled, settling comfortably with an arm bent under her head. "I don't think so. You're a very bad looser though!"

Regina's lips tightened and she looked like visibly conflicted. Emma relished every part of that scene, until the former queen finally decided to spit out loud her "question". "I want to buy my freedom."

"WHAT!?" The blonde blinked, in disbelief. "I really hope you're joking! There is no way in hell I'm letting it go on you this time. And I would love to enjoy every single instant."

Regina huffed, crossing her arms. "Please, dear." She said sarcastically, but not too much. "There has to be something you would accept in return. I don't want you or anyone else to have power on my decisions..." _Even if - if I should make a choice - it would be you._ "...I just want to be free." And it was a whisper, but this time Emma didn't pretend she hadn't heard. Actually, the woman sat up too and lifted the brunette's chin with a finger. She looked for a while in her brown eyes, then smiled slightly.

"Do you really want to be free from this? Even if you know I couldn't ever make you do something that could hurt you?"

Regina swallowed and then muttered again "Yes." She nodded. "Even if I trusted you. And I'm not saying I do, but..." Emma giggled and nodded in turn, then she approached her face and talked to her ear, her lips caressing Regina's earlobe.

"Well, then. I know you can be such a creative girl. I remember you finding one thousand ways to be a pain in my ass." Emma raised her brow. "Let's see if it helps you now. Try your luck and, if it really works, then I swear you'll be free." She moved away slowly, with an amused grin. And the queen narrowed her eyes, bothered and intrigued at the same time. She frowned and kept staring at the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, as well as the mother of her lovely little boy. He had her stubbornness, she had to admit. And, sometimes, he was quite irritatingly adorable. Not that Miss Swan was being adorable in that moment. Just irritant, maybe.

"So?" Emma pushed, with her face slapped. "Do you mind if I keep looking at the stars in the meanwhile? I mean...it could take you like forever and I really would love to..."

"Oh, now stop it, Emma Whatever Swan!" She snapped, grabbing Em's chin with firm fingers. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Regina, I was only jok..."

"I said _shut up_!" The brunette cut her off again, then took a deep breath.

"What are you...?"

"Emma, _please_." Her tone made the trick and the other fell silent, blinking a pair of times. Slowly, Regina approached her face and gently placed a small kiss in the corner of her lips. For a moment she feared she had just screwed up everything and was clearly intentioned to put some space between them when she felt Emma's right hand cupping her cheek, the other finding her way on her back. Emma smiled, staring right in her beautiful hazel eyes.

"You did it." She whispered, inhaling the scent of apples.

"It worked?"

"Almost."

"Wha..." Regina was going to ask but Emma's index finger stopped her lips.

"You should just try again." She smirked, slowly lowering the hand. "Maybe like this."

And their lips met again, this time seriously. This time more roughly.

"W-we did it...?" Regina muttered, shocked.

"Yes." Emma answered quickly, giggling. "We did it."

And, someway, she did knew: she didn't really need any falling star to start being happy. She maybe could have a better type of magic. The only magic without a price.


End file.
